LaMonte McLemore dies; with the 5th Dimension he brought "Aquarius" and "Let The Sunshine In" to the top of the charts

LaMonte McLemore, founding member of The 5th Dimension, a key group in American pop-soul between the late Sixties and early Seventies, has died at 90. The artist passed away on Tuesday, February 3, at his home in Las Vegas from natural causes, as announced by his press office. In recent years he had been living with the effects of a stroke.

McLemore was one of the group's emblematic voices, recognizable for his warm bass tone and his ever-measured presence, which proved decisive in shaping the choral elegance of The 5th Dimension. Together with Florence LaRue, Ron Townson, Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo, he helped build a crossover sound that combined pop, soul and R&B with a harmonic care that was rare in the mainstream at the time.

The group won two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year: in 1968 with "Up, Up And Away" and in 1970 with "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)". The latter spent six weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1969, establishing itself as one of the defining songs of the hippie era.

"Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" is a medley from the musical "Hair" by Milos Forman, with music by Galt MacDermot and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, in which "Aquarius" serves as the main theme. Struck by the impact of the show, in 1968 The 5th Dimension pitched producer Bones Howe their own reinterpretation: a first section suspended between soul and rock, and a second, gospel-rooted section dominated by the voice of Billy Davis Jr.

The group's other hits included "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "One Less Bell To Answer" and "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All". In total, the 5th Dimension racked up seven gold records and six platinum singles, leaving a lasting mark on the history of American pop music.

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